Polishing instrument for metal musical strings



June17, 1947. J. MILLER 2,422,581

POLISHING INSTRUMENT FOR METAL MUSICAL STRINGS Filed June 6, 1946 Jules [dz/Z167 Patented June 17, 1947 OFFICE POLISHING INSTRUMENT FOR METAL MUSICAL STRINGS Jules Miller, Atlantic City, N. J.

Application June 6, 1946, Serial No. 674,792

3 Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements for polishing or cleaning musical strings, such as used on mandolins, guitars, banjos and violins.

As is well known to musicians, metal strings, especially in some localities such as the seashore or other places where there is considerable moisture in the air, have a tendency to rust which will eventually damage the string. Also, the moisture from the hands during the warmer seasons will sometimes cause the strings to rust, or at least become spotted with rust.

One of the objects of my invention, therefore, is to provide a small polisher or cleaner that may easily be carried in the vest pocket or carried in the case in which the musical instrument is contained, so that at frequent intervals, especially when the strings are subjected to salt air, the jaws of the polisher may be slipped over a string and the jaws pressed together to encase the string, after which the polisher may be moved up and down the string and the abrasive or polishing compound will remove any rust spots from the string.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a relatively small polisher, preferably formed of plastic, with normally spread pairs of jaws at its opposite ends, these jaws having substantially circular longitudinal grooves therein which in turn are coated or have a bonded abrasive or finely ground polishing material therein, such as emery or stone. The only diiference between the pairs of jaws is that the internal diameter of the groove in the jaws at one end is less than the internal diameter of the groove in the other jaws, so that various size strings can be accommodated.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a relatively small, preferably plastic polisher with oppositely located like pairs of jaws havin opened grooves formed longitudinally of the jaws, the internal surfaces of the grooves being provided. with an abrasive or polishing material. The jaws of the burnisher are inherently flexible, so that a pair can be grasped in the fingers and the jaws pressed together when the polisher is moved along the strings.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a small polisher wherein the jaws are inherently flexible, and wherein the jaws are so arranged that after the string is slipped within the groove in the jaws, the string can not be forced farther up between the jaws, which would cause the polisher not to function.

With these and other objects in view, the in- Vention consists in certain new and novel arrangements and combination of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

Referring now to the drawings showingv a preferred embodiment,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my improved polisher,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof,

Fig. 3 is an end View,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional View taken on line 44 of Fig. 1, showing the normal position of the jaws of the polisher, and

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4 with one set of jaws pressed together as they will appear when grasped between the fingers.

Referring now more particularly to the several views and, for the moment, to Fig. 1, there will be seen what I term the polisher I, which is preferably made of a relatively thin plastic and is formed of two like halves 2 and 3. These halves are substantially alike with one or two small exceptions which will be mentioned later.

Describing the one half 2 for the moment, it

" will be seen that it consists of what I term the central body portion 4 that may have a slightly outstanding rim 5 and an upper elongated jaw 6 and a lower elongated jaw 1. It will be noticed that between the rim 5 and the upper end of the jaw 6 the central wall of the body portion 4 is slightly thinner as at 8450 as to provide a flexibility in the jaw when compressed by the fingers as will be shortly mentioned. In the same way the lower body portion 4 is reduced on its inner surface as at 9 so that the jaw 1 may flex approximately midway between its end and at the center band 5.

Referring for the moment to the upper jaw 6, there will be seen a substantially semi-circular groove Hi, this groove running entirely throughout the length of the jaw B. The internal surface of this groove I0 has a polishin compound II secured thereto and this compound might be fine emery, stone, or any other well-known grinding, polishing or abrasive material. It could be applied in a strip form or it could be applied with a proper adhesive so that after the internal groove is once covered with this material it will last throughout the life of the polisher.

In the same way, the lower jaw I has a substantially semi-circular groove l2 with its polishing compound l3 coated thereon.

The other half 3 of the polisher is similarly formed, that is, it has the body portion 4, the upper jaw 6 and the lower jaw I, also the groove III in its upper jaw 6' and the groove I2 in its 3 lower jaw 1', together with the adhesive H in the both grooves l and I 2.

The two like halves 2 and 3 are then rigidly bonded centrally, as at 15, so that after they are once secured in place they will always remain that way throughout the life of the polisher.

It will also be noticed (Fig. 4) that the pairs of jaws at each end are normally slightly spaced so that a string l6, shown in Fig. 5, may readily be passed through one pair of cooperating jaws, say 6 and 6', and fit in the coated groove formed by the two semi-circular grooves 10 and 10' for instance.

The jaws 6 and 6' when compressed will assume the position shown in Fig. 5, and then as the polisher is moved up and down the string it will polish the string and remove any rust marks that may have formed on the string.

If a larger string is to be polished, then it can be accommodated in the lower jaws 1 and 1', and the polisher then moved along the string where the abrasive will polish the string. In practice, the diameter across the upper groove might be made from ten to twenty thousandths (.010 to .020) of an inch, whereas the groove in the lower jaws could be made to accommodate strings from twenty to sixty-five thousandths (.020 to .065) of an inch in thickness.

It was mentioned earlier in the specification that the two halves 2 and 3 are alike, and this I1, so that when the jaws are closed, or even partially closed, and forced down over the string, there will be no possibility of the string being forced up towards the center of the polisher.

This arrangement is repeated also in the lower jaws I and i as may be seen by the groove 18 andthe lug I8. I a

It will be seen from Fig. 4 the jaws at each end are normally open to receive the string, and they can be spread still farther open when the polisher is forced over the string. v v

In the same manner also, these jaws with a slight pressure of the fingers may be forced together as shown in Fig. 5, so that the entire circurnfelence of the string is encased during the polishing action. I

It is to be remembered that the jaws of the polisher do not pivot, but the plastic plates are relatively thin and inherently flexible or resilient, so that the pressing together of one set of jaws has no action on the other set. Thus, there is less tendency for the bonded coupling between the two halves 2 and 3 to fracture or break.

Finally, it will be seen that after the dies are made to form the plastic halves, it is a relatively simple matter to coat the grooves with a polishing surface and then bond the two plates together.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided a relatively light, inexpensive polisher that may be readily used on the wire strings of musical instruments to prevent them from rusting, or likewise, to remove any rust spots that might have formed thereon.

Thus the physical condition, as well as the tonal qualities, of the strings may be retained even where the strings are subjected to moist air, salt air, or the perspiration from the fingers of the player.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1s:

1. In a vest-pocket size polisher for metal musical strings, comprising a, body formed of two plates permanently secured to each other, like elongated pairs of jaws at the opposite ends of the polisher, said pairs of jaws having grooves extending throughout their length and the jaws normally slightly spaced from each other, the said grooves provided with an abrasive, the jaws being inherently flexible and capable of being compressed between the fingers to encase a metal string whereby the string may be polished by a movement of the polisher along said string,

2. In a vest-pocket size polisher for metal musical strings, comprising a plastic body formed of two plates secured centrally, like elongated pairs of jaws at the opposite ends of the polisher, said pairs of jaws having grooves extending throughout their length and provided with an abrasive therein, the diameter of the grooves in the one set of jaws being larger than the diameter of the grooves in the other set of jaws, each pair of jaws being inherently flexible and capable of being compressed by the fingers to encase a metal string, whereby the strin may be polished by a movement of the polisher along the said string.

3. In avest-pocket size polisher for metal musical strings, comprising a body formed of two similar plates permanently secured centrally of their length, like elongated pairs of jaws at the opposite ends of the polisher, said pairs of jaws having like grooves, but of difierent diameters, extending throughout their length and provided with an abrasive therein, the respective pairs of jaws being normally slightly spaced from each other, each pair of jaws having means inwardly of the groove for preventing the string from passing centrally into the polisher, each pair of laws being inherently flexible and capable of being compressed by the fingers to encase a metal string, whereby the string may be polished by a movement of the polisher along said string.

JULES MILLER.

REFERENCES CllTED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 601,898 McDonough et al. Apr. 5, 1898 2,405,680 Williams Aug. 13, 1946 435,698 Lamkin Sept. 2, 1890 31,180 Mayall Jan. 22, 1861 1,221,472 Rasmusen et al Apr. 3, 1917 

